Burnley FC have pledged £30,000 to help get a memorial garden project off the ground.

The newly-formed Turf Moor Memorial Garden committee convened at Turf Moor last weekend, where committee members heard the football club had donated the money.

The garden, which will include plaques in memory of supporters’ loved ones, would be created on spare land opposite the Jimmy McIlroy Stand.

Peter Briggs, chair of the Turf Moor Memorial Garden Committee, said: "At the meeting, Burnley Football Club pledged to support the Memorial Garden with a £30,000 donation, which is hoped will be met, pound for pound, with donations from Burnley FC supporters.

"The money will be spent on the building of phase one of the memorial garden, which will start before the end of the season.

"Turf Moor Memorial Garden wishes to place on record its thanks to outgoing committee members, club pastor Barry Hunter, club historian Ray Simpson and club ambassador Derek Scott, who have all helped to guide the project over the past three years.

"Also, an honourable mention is given to Geoff Salter, who worked as the committee treasurer.

"Thank you all very much for your support so far. We have come such a long way over the last three years and it wouldn’t be possible without everyone’s support and efforts.

"The steps taken will preserve the memorial garden for years to come and will safeguard all the plaques and monuments that will be placed in the garden for the foreseeable future."

Once phase one is complete, the land will become a memorial garden ready to accept ashes of fans with a wall built to accommodate plaques to remember them by.

The Brun Lea and Calder rivers will be recreated in the garden with bricks which will also be available for purchase.

Phase two, which will need further funding, will see a life-size statue of former Burnley and manager Brian Miller, who made 379 appearances for the Clarets between 1955 and 1966.

It will be joined by a replica of the dugout at Turf Moor from 1987 from the iconic photograph of Miller with his arms in the air when Burnley avoided relegation from the Football League thanks to a 2-1 win over Orient.

The last phase will include an eight-foot statue of Clarets legend Jimmy McIlroy, who played for Burnley from 1950 to 1962, installed.